<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">The press release pasted below may be of interest, in case you haven't seen it already.<BR>
<BR>
Regards<BR>
Bob Fisher<BR>
<BR>
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2006 Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns,<BR>
Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton and Secretary of Health and Human<BR>
Services Michael Leavitt today moved to further ensure the protection of<BR>
people, domestic poultry and wild birds by unveiling an enhanced national<BR>
framework for early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)<BR>
in wild migratory birds in the United States. This readiness plan and<BR>
system builds on, significantly expands and unifies ongoing efforts among<BR>
federal, state, regional and local wildlife agencies. Those agencies have<BR>
been monitoring and testing for the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N1<BR>
virus in migratory birds for several years. The increased efforts come as<BR>
the spring migration of migratory birds is underway and the spread of avian<BR>
influenza continues across continents.<BR>
<BR>
Wildlife experts and public health officials have been monitoring the<BR>
spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 since it first appeared in Hong Kong<BR>
in 1997. Since 1998, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tested over<BR>
12,000 migratory birds in the Alaska flyway and since 2000, USDA has tested<BR>
almost 4,000 migratory birds in the Atlantic flyway. All birds in these<BR>
flyways have tested negative for the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus of<BR>
concern. Since the summer of 2005, the Department of Interior (DOI) has<BR>
been working with the State of Alaska to strategically sample migratory<BR>
birds in the Pacific flyway. DOI has already carried out more than 1,700<BR>
tests on samples from more than 1,100 migratory birds. There have been 22<BR>
avian influenza isolates identified, but none have been highly pathogenic.<BR>
<BR>
"The Department of Agriculture is working on many fronts, with many<BR>
partners to further strengthen our ability to detect and respond to highly<BR>
pathogenic strains of avian influenza," said Johanns. "By intensifying our<BR>
monitoring of migratory bird populations, we increase the likelihood of<BR>
early detection, which is key to controlling the spread of the virus,<BR>
particularly in our domestic poultry. Having said that, it's important for<BR>
the public to know two things; a detection of Asian H5N1 in the United<BR>
States would not signal the start of a human pandemic; and properly<BR>
prepared poultry is safe to eat, because proper cooking kills this virus."<BR>
<BR>
Wildlife biologists, migratory bird specialists, veterinarians and<BR>
epidemiologists from the USDADOI and Health and Human Services (HHS), along<BR>
with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, National<BR>
Association of Public Health Veterinarians and the State of Alaska have<BR>
developed "An Early Detection System for Asian H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian<BR>
Influenza in Wild Migratory Birds -- U.S. Interagency Strategic Plan."<BR>
<BR>
"We do not know for sure what role wild migratory birds play in the<BR>
movement of this virus, but the potential exists for them to carry this<BR>
virus to North America, and we have a responsibility to prepare for that<BR>
possibility," said Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. "Working closely<BR>
with our state, local and federal partners, we can detect and respond to<BR>
disease events involving wild birds and screen birds for highly pathogenic<BR>
H5N1 virus. These actions will help us provide an early warning to the<BR>
agriculture, public health and wildlife communities if the virus is<BR>
detected in migratory birds."<BR>
<BR>
The ability to effectively prevent the spread of highly pathogenic<BR>
H5N1into domestic poultry operations is greatly enhanced by being able to<BR>
rapidly detect the pathogen if it is introduced into wild migratory birds<BR>
in the United States. The interagency plan outlines five specific<BR>
strategies for early detection of the virus in wild migratory birds,<BR>
including:<BR>
<BR>
Investigation of disease-outbreak events in wild birds<BR>
<BR>
Expanded monitoring of live wild birds<BR>
<BR>
Monitoring of hunter-killed birds<BR>
<BR>
Use of sentinel animals, such as backyard poultry flocks<BR>
<BR>
Environmental sampling of water and bird feces<BR>
<BR>
Because Alaska is at the crossroads of bird migration flyways,<BR>
scientists believe the strain of highly pathogenic H5N1 currently affecting<BR>
Southeast Asia would most likely arrive there if it spread to North America<BR>
via migratory birds. Thus, the plan recommends a prioritized sampling<BR>
system with emphasis in Alaska, elsewhere in the Pacific Flyway and the<BR>
Pacific islands, followed by the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways.<BR>
In 2006, USDA and its cooperators plan to collect between 75,000 to 100,000<BR>
samples from live and dead wild birds. They also plan to collect 50,000<BR>
samples of water or feces from high-risk waterfowl habitats across the<BR>
United States.<BR>
<BR>
The wild bird monitoring plan is part of the Presidents National<BR>
Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness. President Bush allocated $29<BR>
million in his avian influenza supplemental funding package for<BR>
implementation of the wild bird monitoring plan.<BR>
<BR>
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt noted that highly pathogenic H5N1 is still<BR>
a disease of birds, not people, and that most human cases in other<BR>
countries have come from extensive direct contact with infected birds or<BR>
their droppings. He cautioned, however, that scientists are concerned that<BR>
the virus could develop the ability to efficiently transmit from person to<BR>
person, and "such a development could trigger a worldwide pandemic."<BR>
<BR>
Leavitt said HHS is using a multi-pronged approach, which includes<BR>
increased monitoring to spot disease outbreaks at home and abroad;<BR>
development of vaccines and vaccine manufacturing capability; stockpiling<BR>
of both vaccines and antivirals; planning at the state and local level, and<BR>
communications to inform the public.<BR>
<BR>
Noting that the disease could show up in many communities all at the<BR>
same time, Leavitt called local preparedness "the foundation of pandemic<BR>
readiness" and said: "any community that fails to prepare with the<BR>
expectation that the federal government can offer a lifeline will be<BR>
tragically wrong." To assist local efforts, HHS is holding planning<BR>
summits in all 50 states and providing checklists to local and state<BR>
governments, businesses, schools, home health care providers, faith-based<BR>
and community organizations and individuals and families.<BR>
<BR>
Historically, wild birds have been natural reservoirs for low pathogenic<BR>
avian influenza viruses and often show little or no signs of disease.<BR>
Various forms of low pathogenicity avian influenza have existed in the<BR>
United States since the early 1900's. They can cause varying degrees of<BR>
illness in birds and have not posed a public health threat. If a virus<BR>
mutates or mixes with another avian influenza virus it can become highly<BR>
pathogenic, causing higher fatality rates in birds. The HPAI strain of<BR>
H5N1 currently affecting countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and other<BR>
geographic areas is highly infectious between birds, but has never been<BR>
found in the United States. Other forms of HPAI have been detected in<BR>
domestic poultry three times in this country: in 1924, 1983 and 2004. The<BR>
2004 outbreak was confined to one flock and eradicated. There were no<BR>
human illnesses reported in connection with these outbreaks, however the<BR>
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has caused human illness and<BR>
death in other countries where people have handled or been in close contact<BR>
with infected birds.<BR>
<BR>
Additional information about avian flu and security relating to<BR>
domestic poultry, wild bird monitoring and research, as well as pandemic<BR>
planning nationwide is available at the U.S. governments comprehensive<BR>
website for pandemic preparedness at http://www.pandemicflu.gov. <BR>
<BR>
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